The amazing iPod: “Open the pod bay door, HAL”

It´s amazing how the iPod was developed. We can make the questions, what drives an innovative product? The technology, the idea, the adaptation to the need of the potential customers?

Maybe it´s all of it. The insights that Steve Jobs gives us can bring some lights. Innovation it´s not a process, it comes from the passion of the individual people with a “gravitational force” that brings capabilities all together with a strong product conceptualization. To concentrate in things where you can make significant contributions and try to be the best one in that.

Sounds easy? Yes, but only a few companies have really made it.

Returning to the iPod, think how they put all together: The develop was made by the company PortalPlay, the operating system by PIxo, hard disk by Toshiba, the batteries came from Sony and the music library was brought by the company Music Match. The gravitational force was Apple (or Steve Jobs?), that wanted to disrupt in the digital music market, remember that the idea was “invented” years ago.

Ah, and don´t forget about the name, that came from the external collaborator Vinnie Chieco, inspired in the line in the movie 2001 “Open the pod bay door, HAL.”